


Side Effects

by Arel_Rhink



Category: Rhett & Link, rhink - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-24
Updated: 2016-06-24
Packaged: 2018-07-18 00:11:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7291753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arel_Rhink/pseuds/Arel_Rhink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While on a week-long convention trip, Link gets new pills for his recently-developed insomnia which cause him to act intimately towards Rhett in his sleep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"I knew we should've booked our suite last Tuesday," Link complained as he exited the elevator. Rhett fumbled with his luggage case a bit as he followed Link down the hall. "Maybe we should get a cot this time."

"I don't want to sleep on a cot," Rhett responded, cringing at the anticipated back pain that comes with sleeping on one of those confounded items. "I wouldn't feel comfortable asking for someone to bring one up here anyway."

Link stopped and adjusted his glasses before looking back at his taller companion. "Yeah, I feel you on that." Rhett's luggage case slipped again, and he nearly tripped on himself trying to catch it. "You okay? I'll take that off your hands if you're having trouble with it."

"I got it. It probably just got a little grease on it from that McRib I had for lunch." Link grimaced in response. Rhett reached into his pocket for his keycard and read the room number on it. "817. That's just down a bit more on the left." Rhett followed his friend down the hall. "Hey, at least it's a king. Some hotels have queen-sized beds, believe it or not."

"Yeah, I guess. And it's not like we've never slept in the same bed before. We both have our systems." Link added as he slid his keycard into the slot.

"If you call reckless abandon a system," Rhett teased. "As long as you don't smother me to death, we'll be fine." Halfway through opening the door, Link laughed sarcastically.

"No promises, Rhett. No promises." He flashed the blonde a half smile and a wink. Rhett responded with a hearty chuckle as he set his luggage case down on the side of the bed he assumed to be his.

The room wasn't too bad for a last-minute reservation. They got a nice, soft, king-sized bed, a love seat with light gold cushions that matched the sheets on the bed, a plasma screen TV, a kitchenette and dining area, and a decent-sized restroom with a corner shower. One could only imagine how nice the double suites were.

Link set his case on his side of the bed and immediately took his towel and toiletries out. "You're going in the shower already? We just got here! It's only what..." Rhett checked my phone for the time. "10:18... Wow, our plane really WAS running late."

"Yeah. And we got our first convention day tomorrow. I wanna make sure I get enough sleep. You'd probably wanna do the same," Link added as he headed for the restroom. After quickly thinking it over, Rhett decided to take his friend's suggestion and turn in. He stripped down to his grey boxers and cuddled up under the sheets. It didn't take long for the man to drift off into sleep... but his slumber didn't last long.

Rhett knew Link returned from the shower when he felt the mattress shift on his left. Only seconds after falling back asleep did he get disturbed again, and then again minutes later. This cycle looped for what felt like all night. When Rhett's phone alarm went off in the morning, they both remained still, irritable and exhausted. Rhett broke the silence with a raspy and grumbled "Mornin'."

Link sighed deeply and rubbed both of his palms over his eyelids before responding, "G'Morning."

"Had trouble sleeping?" Rhett turned his head towards his companion. He couldn't stop looking at Link's eyes - how dark the skin was around those bright blue pools he always found himself in. This time, his eyes seemed dimmer than usual. His heart hurt a bit when Link turned his head to look Rhett in the eyes. He could see the pain as if it was written on his face. Link sighed again.

"This has been going on for weeks."

"Weeks?!" Rhett's eyes widened as he sat himself upright. "Have you seen a doctor? Have you tried taking anything?" Link slowly sat up and brushed the messy hair out of his face.

"I haven't had the time to see a doctor. I've tried a bunch of different stuff over-the-counter, but nothing seems to work right." Link reaches for his glasses on the nightstand beside him and puts them on so he could see the man beside him. There is a moment of silence before Rhett speaks again.

"I think I remember seeing a pharmacy or some sort of drug store down the street. I'm thinkin' we should stop there before we head down to the convention center. What do you say?" He plopped a large hand over his friend's shoulder and shook it slightly with the most comforting smile. Link gave Rhett a half smile before agreeing.

They quickly got ready, for they had a busy day planned and could only spare a few minutes at the pharmacy before going to the convention center. The pharmacy wasn't like the ones they were used to in either LA or North Carolina. This was something different. It seemed more like a warehouse that was only as big as their hotel suite. All the bottles were arranged alphabetically by medical problem, which was labeled by tags that were similar to ones that would tell you where the ice cream was in the freezer aisle of a grocery store. The one guy who seemed to be working there was wearing a typical pharmacist uniform, which stuck out heavily in this setting.

"Good morning, gentlemen. Is there anything I can help you with today?" the man greeted as he approached the two taller clients promptly.

"Um, yes actually, uh... David," answered Rhett as he spotted the name tag clipped to the lapel of the pharmacist's white jacket. David was shorter than the two of them - probably around five feet tall - and kept his ash brown hair neatly parted and combed to the side. He seemed fairly young, like he was new to the business... like fresh out of college. Rhett didn't know how he felt about that, but they really didn't have time to try and find somewhere else to get what they needed.

"I need something for insomnia," Link states, using his hands to emphasize that last word.

"Gotcha!" David proudly replies, giving the guys a thumbs-up. "That's just down this aisle down here. If you gentlemen would kindly follow me, I'd be happy to help you find just the medication you need." Rhett and Link find themselves checking out all the different medications and remedies arranged on the shelves. There were some brands they recognized along with quite a few assorted drugs with a label that read DV as the brand. Rhett assumed that to be the generic store brand.

"I understand this isn't a prescribed medication, but has there been any professional consultation?" David asked before stopping at the section labeled 'insomnia'.

"No," Link replied, eyeing the brands on the shelf, "I never had the chance to see a doctor, but I've been having a really hard time falling asleep for nearly a month, and as a result, haven't gotten much sleep at all. I'm starting to worry if the circles around my eyes are becoming permanent."

"Okay," David responded, clasping his hands together. "Have you tried over-the-counter methods previously?"

"Yes, but not much luck with any of the ones I've tried." As the two conversed, Rhett made his way towards the insomnia section and grabbed a bottle of Nytol and studied the information on the label. He eyed a section that was boxed off and labeled with tape with the words 'coming soon' scrawled in sharpie.

"I think I've tried all of these at some point," continued Link.

"What's this one about?" Rhett asked, indicating the 'coming soon' section. There was brief hesitation before David's answer.

"Oh, that? That's reserved space for the drug I'm working on. It's gonna be revolutionary! It's basically finished, but I haven't been able to test for side effects, since the guy who volunteered to test it left on paternity leave."

"What are the theorized side effects?" Link asked, timidly stepping closer to Rhett.

"Nothing dangerous or anything, but I created it so that the melatonin levels change as the consumer sleeps, so the hormones may swing while undergoing effects... And it's powerful too, so..."

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad," Rhett comments, hitting Link lightly on the shoulder. "It's like mood swings, but you're sleeping, so you shouldn't really feel them, right?" Link looked back at Rhett with a quizzical look.

"Kind of," David replied with a quick squint. There was a brief moment of silence as Link thought it over.

"You said it's powerful?" he asked, stepping slightly closer to David as he pushed his glasses higher onto the bridge of his nose. The pharmacist nodded while his brown eyes widened and his brows waggled. Link put more thought into it before finally making a decision. "I'll try it out. We'll only be here 'til the end of the week, so I think a few nights supply will be enough for the time being."

"You sure?" Rhett asked, putting his hands around Link's upper arms. The brunette looked up at him, and then gave David a confident nod.

"Okay," David finally said after brief hesitation. "If you're gonna do this, I'm gonna ask that you keep a record of stuff like how you're feeling when you're going to sleep, when you wake up, if you notice any oddities in your sleeping habits, or anything like that." He then turns his gaze to Rhett. "Do you two share living space?"

"For the time being," the blonde responds.

"I'd like you to pay attention to how he reacts while he sleeps - at least check up on him in the middle of the night. Can you do that?"

"That's an easier task than you probably think," Rhett laughed, patting Link's right arm.

"Great! I'll just get some samples from the back. I'm gonna need you both to fill out some forms, too."

Rhett and Link return to the suite after a long day at the convention center. They had recorded an episode of GMM with a live audience, met up with some fans, took pictures, and signed autographs. They were tired and bought a pizza to bring back to the hotel for dinner. As they ate, they talked about their plans for the rest of the week. Rhett was really enthused about the fancy movie cinema he saw on the way to the convention center, and Link agreed that it would be a fun idea to talk about their experience seeing a movie there during one of the GMMs that week.

It was getting late before they knew it, and they decided to turn in. When Link got out of the shower, he took the pharmacy bottle out of the little plastic bag David gave him, and poured one of the capsules into his hand before placing the closed container on the nightstand. He swallowed the pill with a mug-full of water before putting on a pair of briefs. He hung up his towel and crawled into bed. Rhett was already stripped down to his boxers and was comfortably relaxing under the covers.

"How you feeling?" Rhett asked, watching Link get curled up under the golden sheets.

"I'm just hoping these work."

"Me too, Link." They both said their good-nights before they both passed right out.

However, it was only a couple of hours until Rhett was woken up by an arm falling over his chest and onto his right shoulder. It scared the living daylight out of him, but when he saw his friend’s hand twitch on his clavicle, he calmed down. He turned his head to his left to find Link’s sleeping face merely inches away from his. This was typical of Link to stir like that in his sleep, and it made Rhett happy that he was able to sleep, regardless of Link’s tendency to use Rhett as a cuddle buddy whenever they shared a hotel bed. He usually didn’t like to be touched while sleeping, since Rhett was such a light sleeper, but he didn’t want to ruin Link of his much needed sleep. He closed his eyes again.

Link’s hand moved down Rhett’s torso and clung to his side as he scooted even closer. Rhett opened one eye to see how Link was doing. A smile grew on the younger man’s face that made Rhett feel warm and cozy. It just felt right for him to nuzzle into Link’s embrace. Link rubbed up against his face in response to the cuddling, and placed his lips gently against the side of Rhett’s mouth. Rhett’s nerves knotted up in his stomach at the sensation and froze. His eyes widened as Link continued leaving soft kisses all about his face. The blonde tried squirming out of Link’s grasp, but he started straddling him and grabbing onto Rhett more firmly. Link managed to pin him down against the bed before pressing his lips perfectly against Rhett’s. He was somehow able to push himself even closer to his flabbergasted friend as his tongue intruded Rhett’s mouth, exploring every nook and cranny. Rhett tried to speak whenever he was given the smallest chance.

“Link?” he whispered. He didn’t get an answer, as Link was too busy immersing himself into Rhett’s mouth. He tried again, louder. “Link!! Wha- What’s? What’s going on?” He tried pushing the smaller man off, but Link only moved lower on Rhett’s body and left a trail of smaller kisses down his torso. Rhett was relieved to finally be able to breathe. He was feeling so light-headed he didn’t notice Link opening the flap of Rhett’s boxers. He suddenly felt a warm mouth encircle his manhood, which instantly made Rhett moan. Before he even knew it, his hips bucked to the rhythm of Link’s bobbing as he took him in more and more. It was like his pelvis had a mind of its own, and Rhett couldn’t help but go with it. His fingers clutched the sheets and the edge of the mattress for dear life, and he quickly found himself enjoying his friend’s work. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before. Not only was he never taken this way, but this was also Link taking him – the best friend he had ever had since first grade, the man who he grew up with, the one person he’d ever truly cared for. He had never expected their relationship to ever come to this level, let alone romantic in the first place. This was all new to him, and he was taking in all of this at once. His head spun as his pleasure increased to the point of release.

As Rhett came down from his climax, he opened his eyes again and attempted to catch his breath. He could feel Link’s weight returning to his chest. He lifted his head slightly and watched the somehow still sleeping Link bring his face closer to Rhett’s. This time, he let Link kiss him, and he kissed back softly with a light smile. His shaking hands moved up towards Link’s back before finally touching him. His long arms slowly wrapped around Link’s smaller body, and one of his hands made it into Link’s raven locks. 

They both turned over so they were both lying on their sides. Eventually, Link stopped kissing and fell back into a calmer sleep. Rhett stopped briefly after, and turned back onto his back. He couldn’t believe what just happened, and was hoping this wouldn’t take a negative turn in their relationship. These thoughts didn’t leave his head until he fell back asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While on a week-long convention trip, Link gets new pills for his recently-developed insomnia which cause him to act intimately towards Rhett in his sleep.

Rhett awoke to the sound of his phone alarm. He felt peaceful, as if coming out of a resolved dream. He quickly turned his attention to the man next to him, who seemed as rejuvenated as he was.

"Good morning, Linkster!"

"Linkster? You haven't called me that in a while... but good morning." Rhett caught himself staring into Link's bright blue irises, which were shining even more than usual. He couldn't hide the smile that stretched across his face, and Link shot him a quizzical look. Rhett shook his head and snapped out of it.

"You look a lot better than you did yesterday. I take it you slept well," he comments while climbing out of the bed. He started recalling the night's events, but felt like they never truly occurred, as if it was all a dream.

"Oh my goodness, I slept amazingly! I didn't even wake up once -- not even to use the toilet! I feel like I can do anything!" As Rhett fixed the covers on his side of the bed, he searched Link's demeanor for clues as to what may have happened last night. He couldn't find any hints at all, which made Rhett feel more certain that his memories were just a dream.

"Got yourself a stream of confidence there, don't you?" Rhett laughed. Link got up out of bed himself and started making his side of the bed. He was glowing with energy.

"More like an ocean!" he comments with a huge smile. Rhett couldn't help but laugh in response to Link's contagious positive energy. Suddenly, Link's eyes widen and he quickly swipes his phone off the nightstand.

"I gotta record those effects for David!" the now spectacled Link gasped. His thumbs were racing as Rhett turned away to do some quick back stretches.

"So I guess those pills worked okay, huh?" Rhett asked over his shoulder. He finished up his stretches and started towards the restroom.

"Oh yeah, more than okay," Link replied enthusiastically. He paused for a bit before continuing. "Although, I think they left a weird taste in my mouth..."

Rhett froze in his place as his eyes widened, coming to the conclusion that last night's events actually happened. The nerves in his stomach knotted. Rhett swallowed hard before shuddering off his tensed-up muscles.

"Yeah..." Rhett commented, trying to save himself from panicking. "Some meds will do that," he continued before walking into the restroom and shutting the door behind him.

Rhett’s thoughts kept going back to last night, and he was afraid Link could tell that something was bothering him. He couldn’t even look at the man without remembering how soft Link’s lips felt against his, how his nerves twisted in his stomach when he held him, and how stimulating the experience was in general. At times, he realized he had been holding his breath while zoning out and would randomly let out huge spurts of air, which confused Link immensely during that day’s live GMM at the convention center.  
Link finally broke the silence on the way back to the hotel.

“Rhett, are you doing okay?” Hearing Link’s voice immediately gave him goose bumps and caused him to jump back into reality.

“What?”

“You’ve been acting really weird today. You’re awkwardly quiet, and you keep sighing to yourself. Is there something wrong?” Rhett’s muscles tensed up as he tried to think of what to say. “Rhett?” he asked again. Rhett jumped again at the sound of his voice.

“I must be tired, I guess,” was the best answer he could think of. “I, uh, can’t wait to get to sleep tonight.” Rhett felt heat go to his cheeks, and put his hand up to hide his face. He couldn’t believe he just said that. He could’ve made up any excuse in the world. What was even worse was that he didn’t know if he was lying or not. He had mixed feelings about what happened last time they went to bed, and was very anxious to find out if it would happen again.

As they returned to the hotel and ate their takeout dinner, Rhett was able to calm down a bit – at least on the outside. Link was able to get more words out of him as they talked about more plans for the rest of the week. However, Rhett quickly went back to his anxiety when Link left to take his night shower. He considered telling Link what happened, but he thought he would just laugh at him or even accuse him of having provocative dreams about him while he was sleeping right next to him. He felt it was for the best if he just kept it to himself, at least for now. He silently awaited his friend’s return as he twiddled his thumbs and stared at the ceiling mindlessly.

When Link finally came out of the restroom, Rhett’s head immediately snapped to his direction. Link looked like a god as he emerged from the steaming restroom. His raven hair was still wet and dripping onto his bare torso. A sky blue towel draped over his left shoulder and waved behind him like a regal cape. He dragged the towel off and dipped his downturned head into it, kneading his fingers into the fabric in order to dry his locks. When he finished, he removed the towel and flipped his lightly damp hair. When he turned around to hang his towel up on the restroom door, Rhett basked at how the muscles and shoulder blades moved on Link’s back. When Link turned back around to face Rhett, he was only donning a pair of grey boxers.

“What?” Link asked, standing a couple meters away from the bed. It was then Rhett realized his mouth had been open the whole time he spent staring at him.

“That’s, um, a lot of steam coming out of the bathroom,” Rhett finally replied. “Did you turn the fan on before you went in the shower?” Link turned around to face the restroom, and then back towards Rhett to answer his question.

“Oh, whoops. I guess I forgot to turn it on. It’ll defog eventually.” Link made his way over to the kitchenette and filled a Dixie cup with water from the sink. He carried it over to his side of the bed before taking another one of those pills. He placed the empty paper cup on the nightstand, and got himself comfortable under the sheets. “Night, Rhett.”

“Night, Link.”

Within minutes, Link was on the train to dreamland, and Rhett was lying on his left side watching him with such focus he didn’t know if he was even blinking. After about an hour, he turned onto his back and convinced himself to relax. He whispered to himself that everything was fine, and that nothing was going to happen. With that, the blonde finally closed his burning eyes.

A few minutes later, Rhett awoke to an arm wrapping around his chest, followed by the rest of Link’s body being pressed against his side. Rhett’s eyes burst open as Link nuzzled his face into his neck and lightly nibbled into his skin. The sensation made Rhett’s eyes roll back as he cracked an open-mouthed smile. The rattling of his nerves spread quickly through his body, and Rhett loved it. Before he had time to think, he grabbed Link’s face and smashed their lips together in a swift motion. His hips instinctively grinded against the smaller man’s pelvis as they went deeper into the kiss. Both of them had their hands all over the other, and Rhett could’ve sworn that the bed was rotating underneath them. The longer this went on, the more heat he felt travel towards his groin.

Rhett found one of Link’s hands and guided it to his briefs. He let go as Link took over and slipped a couple of his fingers under Rhett’s waistband. The eager blonde lifted his hips off the bed so Link could easily slip the briefs down his long legs until they rested around his ankles. Rhett lifted his legs as Link positioned himself between them, with Rhett’s knees resting on his broad shoulders. The shorter man licked a generous amount of saliva onto his hand and stroked his own member with it for a while. Rhett’s arousal grew in anticipation as he watched Link position himself closer to his entrance. Rhett’s jaw and hands started shaking. He wasn’t sure about this all of a sudden, and was hoping it wouldn’t hurt as much as he expected, but he wanted him. He wanted to feel Link inside him. The raven-haired man slowly pushed himself inside, and Rhett began to wail. He pursed his lips to muffle his noises. His pain soon turned to pleasure as he grew used to Link’s thrusting.

Link repositioned himself so that Rhett’s legs wrapped around his hips. His hands were planted beside the blonde’s shoulders for better leverage. The new angle made Rhett completely lost in the moment until he finally climaxed, and Link’s orgasm shortly followed. Rhett gave a breathy laugh as his friend spilled inside of him. He reached to the tissues on the nightstand beside him and cleaned himself up after Link removed himself and fell onto the mattress next to him. Rhett quickly pulled his briefs back up and cuddled up to Link once again. The previous night was an encounter that excited, confused, and even scared him. This time, however, Rhett knew was something else. This was something that meant so much more, and Rhett felt that he was hiding these feelings from himself for years. As the two drowsily kissed, Rhett felt something that wanted to escape his mouth. Their mouth movements slowed down even more, and Rhett finally let it out in a whisper.

“I love you, Link.” Their lips were barely separated as they both drifted off entangled in the other’s octopus-like grasp.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> on a week-long convention trip, Link gets new pills for his recently-developed insomnia which cause him to act intimately towards Rhett in his sleep.

Rhett was disturbed by slight movement from the man in his arms. With his eyes still closed, he cuddled closer to Link and burrowed his face into his neck.

“Rhett?” whispered Link as he tried to move his head away. Rhett took no notice, for he was lost in the smaller man. He started dragging his lips against the spot where he felt Link’s pulse, and moved towards his jaw. “Rhett! Rhett! Wake up!!!” Link panicked with an unsuccessful attempt to escape the taller man’s grasp. “RHETT!!!” he finally yelped right before the blonde could reach the side of his mouth.

He burst open his eyes as he realized that it was morning… and Link was awake. They both froze in their current positions, with Rhett merely centimeters from Link’s contorted face.

“You know I hate to interrupt you from… apparently an amazing dream… but I can’t help but feel like a victim here,” Link commented.

“Uhp! Sorry, sorry! I am soooo sorry,” Rhett responded as he quickly untangled himself from his friend, and sat up with a defensive chuckle. Link joined him with a laugh of relief as he, too, sat up.

“I guess I wasn’t the only one who slept well last night,” Link joked, grinning broadly at his taller friend, who blushed at the comment before feigning a laugh. “Wanna share any details?” Link leaned closer and tapped Rhett’s arm with his elbow. Rhett felt a lump in his throat and his hands twitched.

“I don’t really remember…” he lied. Link cocked an eyebrow with a challenging grin that sent shivers down his spine. “… but it was pleasant… I remember that,” Rhett continued, trying to sound more convincing.

“I guess so if you were grappling me like that. You never get touchy when you’re asleep.” Link put his glasses on before taking his phone off the nightstand. Rhett exhaled in relief. He watched his friend start typing into his phone and grew curious.

“How’re you feeling? You look pretty good… I mean, you look like you’re ready to take on the world.” Link looked up from his phone and smiled.

“Thanks, Rhett. You know, I really do feel like I could take on the world.” Link paused before raising his eyebrows. “Hey. You know what? I feel pretty good about those sleep-aids. Why not help David out and give him more support from the mythical beasts?” Rhett didn’t know how to answer. He really didn’t want to tell Link about the last couple nights, especially since he had been fully reciprocating. If Link knew about everything they had done, their whole friendship would fall apart. Rhett valued their relationship and wouldn’t know what he would do without him.

“If that’s what you really want,” Rhett finally answered. “It’s probably a better topic than crummy hotel food.”

“Awesome!” Link cheered as he jumped out of bed. Rhett tried to scoot himself to the edge of the bed, but his strained pelvis did not want to move. He sat there fearfully as Link got himself ready with a spring in his step. He was halfway through picking out his outfit when he realized Rhett was still sitting on the bed. “Hey, Rhett, you okay?” Rhett knew he couldn’t hide his pain, and felt he may need some help at least getting off the bed.

“Well, my hip hurts… Probably from sleeping the way I did.” He looked up at Link with big puppy-dog eyes and pursed lips. “You think you could help me up?” The spectacled man dropped the clothes he had in his hands before going over to help his friend. He removed the blankets off Rhett’s body and held his left thigh with one hand with care. The other hand clutched the underside of the other thigh. The nerves in Rhett’s stomach knotted at the touch.

“On three, okay?” said Link as he looked straight into the other’s eyes. Rhett felt like he could melt right there, but he knew he had to keep it together. He nodded in response and braced his arms for leverage. Link counted to three and turned Rhett as he lifted himself with his arms. When his bottom landed back on the bed, Rhett hummed in pain. Link rubbed Rhett’s leg to comfort him. “You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Need help getting up, or you think you can take it from here? How bad does it hurt?”

“It’s pretty bad.” Link pondered a bit before repositioning himself so that his feet were touching the outer sides of Rhett’s larger feet. He bent forward to hold Rhett’s waist firmly as he told his taller friend to grab his shoulders. Rhett gladly wrapped his arms around Link’s broad shoulders, and blushed as he leaned his head into his friend’s soft, dark hair that still smelled like Link’s shampoo. Once again, Link counted to three, and they worked together to lift Rhett to his feet. He came up so fast that they nearly fell over, but Link moved his feet back a step to regain balance. They stood there chest to chest, with Link’s hands still on Rhett’s hips, and Rhett’s arms still wrapped around Link’s shoulders. Rhett could feel his heart pounding harder and faster. He loosened his grip and moved his head back just enough to see Link’s face. The bright blue eyes seemed to beckon Rhett closer. His lips twitched as he slowly inched his face towards the other’s, but he quickly stopped himself and stepped back, releasing Link from his embrace.

“You think you can walk?”

“I think so. Thanks, Link.” The air was quiet between them for a while before Link finally broke the silence.

“Well, we should probably get dressed. We don’t wanna be late.”

As decided, they talked about Link's sleep-aid on that day’s live GMM at the convention center. Link was more than excited to express how well they seemed to be working out for him. Rhett couldn’t help himself from touching Link every once in a while, whether he was resting his hand on his shoulder or moving his leg so that it was touching Link’s. He even almost reached for Link’s hand at one point, but he stopped himself and rubbed the table instead. Rhett’s spine tingled when Link brought up his feelings while asleep, and he was incredibly tempted. Whenever he got the chance, he would make some kind of ambiguously suggestive remark, which usually caused uproars of laughter from the audience. This level of energy continued for the rest of the episode. They didn’t stay for the rest of the convention that day, though, for they had other plans for the rest of the day. They had planned to check out that luxury movie cinema Rhett discovered. They already decided what movie they were going to see, and were both really excited about it.  
They both marvel at the style of the cinema. Rhett felt like they were seeing a Broadway play with all those decks of seats, the giant red curtain on the stage, fancy sconces, intricate golden molding, and the shimmering crystal chandelier. Rhett was fairly amused at how impressed Link was about how soft the seats were. Once Rhett took his seat next to him, he realized what he was missing. He wasn’t sure but he could’ve sworn the cushions were memory foam. What Rhett really liked was that the back was adjustable like a car seat.

“Oh, wow…” Link sighed as he tested the reclining feature on his seat. “This… was a good idea, Rhett. You, sir, have a good eye.” Rhett gave a hearty laugh in response.

“The movie hasn’t even started yet, and I’m already enjoying myself!” It wasn’t much longer for the sconces to fade out, signaling the start of the movie. The curtains opened to reveal a projection screen that was even bigger than the average screening room. Neither of them knew what to expect quality-wise, since they were so used to digital film being used to show films. This cinema used physical film, which displayed how the movie was intended to look rather than a compressed digital version.

The reel started, and immediately, they were blown away by how much detail they could see just from the trailers alone. The sound system they used was superb, and didn’t feel too loud like in some cinemas. Once their movie started, the two were completely immersed. It wasn’t until there was an unexpected surgery scene when they took their eyes away from the screen. Link was the first to turn away at the gruesome imagery. Rhett took notice of Link’s reaction through the corner of his eye, and didn’t hesitate to comfort him. He took his arm and swiftly wrapped it around Link’s shoulders, bringing him closer to his chest. Link looked up at him in surprise.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Rhett whispered, resting his other hand on Link’s hand, which clutched the armrest between them. “I’ll tell you when it’s over, okay?” He looked deep into his friend’s nervous eyes, and watched as they relaxed. He comforted Link further by rubbing circles on his hand with his thumb.

“Okay,” Link breathed. He let his head lay on Rhett’s chest as he continued to look away from the screen. Rhett leaned his head against Link’s as he watched the comedic, but shocking scene before them. He didn’t laugh though, as he was too comforted with the warmth of his best friend in his arms. His nerves tingled at the amount of intimacy that was going on while Link was still awake. He felt the urge to plant a small kiss on the shorter man’s forehead. It was merely an inch or so away from his lips, and the smell of Link’s shampoo made his head spin. The only thing stopping him was his conscience warning him of the possible consequences of following through with his urges while Link was conscious.

“This is pretty gruesome for a comedy,” Rhett commented, trying to distract himself from his desires. Link nods his head into the taller man’s torso. Rhett felt really bad Link, and knew just how squeamish he was when it came to stuff like blood. He felt a little guilty for suggesting the movie in the first place, but he didn’t know this kind of scene would be in the movie. Neither of them had seen any trailers for it, but the college student at the ticket booth highly recommended it.

The scene had ended, and Rhett wasn’t excited about letting go of Link.

“Hey, Link? You can look at the screen again,” Rhett whispered as he lifted his head from the soft raven locks. It took a little while before Link turned his head towards the projection.

“Good,” Link whispered with a sigh. Rhett reluctantly lifted his arm off Link’s shoulder before an arm sprang up from the armrest and stopped it. Link looked up to Rhett as he put the large hand back on his shoulder. “It’s cold in here,” Link commented, staring at Rhett with large, blue eyes that shimmered from the moving images on the projection screen. Rhett felt his heart throbbing in his chest. A smile spread across his face, and he was thankful for the darkness of the theater for hiding his blushing cheeks. Link put his hand back on the armrest with his palm facing upwards. Rhett stared at the invitation nervously before hesitantly placing his hand into it, locking their thumbs together. Link shot him a broad, heart-melting smile before nuzzling his head back into Rhett’s chest. Rhett stared blankly with a beaming grin. He made a breathy chuckle, overjoyed about what was happening. He gladly nuzzled back into Link’s soft, glossy hair as he held him closer. They remained in this position until the end of the movie.

Rhett and Link return to the hotel very impressed with their experience and the movie. They’re both so tired that they want to turn in almost immediately. Rhett took a lot longer than Link to get himself ready for bed, for he kept getting distracted by the memories of holding Link under the glow of the cinema. By the time he finished brushing his teeth, he found Link happily passed out under the covers. The man looked so peaceful and innocent all curled up with just his face showing. Rhett chuckled softly to himself at the sight. He removed his pajama pants so he was just in his boxers before settling into bed. He curled up under the warm covers as he admired the sleeping body before him.

Rhett’s nerves started rattling in excitement as he awaited tonight’s sleep charades. His anticipation grew immensely within the next hour or so, and escalated to the point of impatience. Eventually, his desperation overcame him. He considered taking matters into his own hands. His heart kept beating harder and harder the longer he gazed upon the stunning form before him. His eyes were locked on the prominent cupid’s bow of Link’s soft, pink lips. The slight opening of his mouth was calling Rhett, enticing him, calling his name, just begging to be caressed with another set of lips. He felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead and the bridge of his nose. The world spun around him, making him want to scream.

He couldn’t take it anymore. He carefully scooted closer to Link, and slowly stretched his neck until he could feel the warm breath tickle his beard. His heart was racing as he twitched his lips closer to the open mouth before him. Their lips finally touched, and Rhett’s nerves exploded with relief, filling his body with stimulating heat that made his head spin. He started moving his lips – softly at first, but quickly accelerated as his arousal started taking over. He soon found himself climbing on top of Link, and his hands began massaging Link’s shoulder blades.

“Rhett?” whispered Link as the blonde sustained the friction of their lips. The word was so soft, Rhett couldn’t hear it over the sound of his moans of pleasure. “Rhett!” Link tried again, using his voice this time. Hearing Link call his name sent Rhett even higher, and his nerves jittered in his stomach.

“Link…” the blonde spoke between louder moans. He pressed his arousal against Link’s pelvis as he changed angles on Link’s mouth, giving him more leverage for his tongue to slip inside. The body underneath him writhed and jerked nervously.

“RHETT!!” Link finally yelled, breaking Rhett from his trance. His head jolted back, and the smacking sound of their lips separating was the last thing that was heard before an air-thickening silence. Rhett’s face mirrored the startled doe in headlights look that Link was sporting. Rhett could feel his insides deteriorating as he locked eyes with the slack-jawed man beneath him. The stress caused his head to throb in pain. He didn’t know how to react or even what to say to help him in this situation, but he was having trouble just trying to breathe. The second Link was finally able to move after being frozen in shock, he pushed the heavy body off of him, tossing him over to the side he was supposed to have stayed on. “WHAT THE HELL, MAN?!?!” Rhett still couldn’t speak. He was still in shock, fearing the outcome of the inevitable argument about to happen. He wasn’t ready for explaining the nightly occurrences, and he certainly didn’t have his thoughts cleared enough to explain himself from disturbing his best friend from his sleep in the way he did. He knew he would’ve had to explain everything to Link at some point, but he had hoped it would be under better circumstances… possibly once they returned to Los Angeles, and when they had their own respective beds to go to after the exchange. However, this would not be the case. Link grew impatient of Rhett’s unbroken silence and snapped once again. “WELL?!?! SAY SOMETHING, DAMN IT!!”

Rhett finally let out a nervous sigh, preparing himself for a long, agonizing night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> on a week-long convention trip, Link gets new pills for his recently-developed insomnia which cause him to act intimately towards Rhett in his sleep.

The buzzing of Rhett’s phone alarm seemed more annoying the next morning. Rhett struggled to open his heavy eyelids before slapping his hand to grab his phone upon the nightstand. He was utterly groggy, and quite sullen from the last conversation he had with Link. After putting the phone back on the nightstand, Rhett looked over his shoulder to the man beside him. Link was on his back. He was squinting at the ceiling with his brows furrowed.

“Morning… Link,” Rhett mumbled. He made a feeble attempt at eye contact as he waited for Link’s response. After realizing Link had no intention of answering him, he felt that dreaded regret flood back to him. Rhett turned back around and got out of the bed. After fixing the sheets, he dragged his feet to the restroom door. He only touched his hanging towel before –

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” Link’s piercing voice echoed through the suite. The blonde dropped his hand down to his side as he turned halfway towards the voice. Link was sitting up on the bed now, glaring daggers at the taller man. “If you had done to me what I did to you, I would’ve said something immediately! You never even tried to wake me up, did you?!” Rhett’s nerves grew tense. He never liked confrontations, and having one last night was hard enough for him.

“Look, I told you I DID try! You were so deep, a bear attack couldn’t wake you up!” Rhett’s voice boomed across the room. Link threw himself off the bed.

“But you could’ve said something that morning!” Link argued as he wandered about the room, still glaring at Rhett by the restroom door.

“I couldn’t! At first, I was convinced it didn’t happen at all!” Link stopped where he was and planted his hands on his hips.

“You thought it was a dream?! You must have those kind of dreams a lot if you even CONSIDERED to be dreaming!” Rhett pursed his lips as his nerves knotted in his stomach. Link started making his way towards Rhett as he challenged him further. “And what about the second time, huh? The recurrence should’ve been enough of a sign that it was real!” Rhett’s tension quickly boiled up inside him like a volcano anticipating an eruption. Link stopped in his tracks until they were about a meter apart. “What stopped you then, huh?! HUH?!?!”

“I WAS AFRAID!!” The sudden rise of volume startled Link, and he stepped slightly away from Rhett. “IT WAS DIFFERENT AT THAT POINT!” Rhett’s voice cracked as he continued yelling.

“WHAT’S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!” Link hollered, trying to make himself louder than Rhett.

“I COULDN’T TELL YOU THE NEXT MORNING – I COULDN’T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT ALL FREAKIN’ DAY! YOU KNOW WHY?! IT’S ‘CAUSE I LOVE YOU… I FUCKING LOVE YOU!! AND I WAS TOO AFRAID FOR OUR FRIENDSHIP – FOR WHAT WE ALREADY HAD – TO TELL YOU ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU DID THAT I FOUND MYSELF ENJOYING!!” Link stared slack-jawed in surprise. His big, blue eyes started gleaming. He was completely speechless. Rhett sighed to calm himself down before continuing. “Up until this point, this has been the best week I’ve ever had… all because I was able to collect the feelings I didn’t know were hidden behind everything else in my life.” He paused as he watched for a reaction from Link, who just continued to stare at him with that concerned puppy-eyed look. “We have only one day left before the convention is over. Once we get off that plane, you don’t need to see or hear from me ever again.” Link’s eyes weakened from the stare and looked down to the ground as he softly held his bottom lip between his teeth. When he looked up again, Rhett grabbed his towel off the hook on the door. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to take a shower.” He slammed the restroom door shut, making Link’s towel fall from the other hook. Link stayed where he was for a while, staring at the spot where Rhett just was, before picking his towel off the floor to put it back.

Rhett burst into tears as he slid his back down until he reached the floor. It hurt him to have an outburst like that to the person he cared for the most. He was certain Link wouldn’t return his feelings, and after an outburst like that, he was sure their relationship would crumble and fall.

He forced himself off the floor and got ready for his shower. Although he didn’t feel comfortable about spending all day with Link, they still had their commitments. They couldn’t miss or even be late to the GMM they promised to hold. He couldn’t let down their fans. The warm shower helped Rhett calm down, but he still felt the hole in his heart.

When he finished his shower, he and Link finished getting ready without exchanging words or glances. It was excruciating for Rhett to hold himself together in the younger man’s presence. He felt like his heart was lodged in his throat, and he was worried it might end up killing him at some point.

The car ride to the convention center was painfully silent. Neither of them could even bring themselves to put the radio on. Rhett struggled to embrace the anguish the silence held for them, fearing the next thing Link could possibly ever say to him.

During the live GMM, the audience could feel the awkwardness between the two regardless of their efforts to keep up their façade of positivity. Talking about how amazing the theater was helped bring up their energy, but as they eventually moved to the subject of the movie itself, their moods changed. Rhett tried his hardest to keep his thoughts on his impression of the cinema and the quality of the film, but they were frequently interrupted by the memory of embracing the other during the whole second half of the movie, as well as the multiple times he had considered making a move. They managed not to look at each other at all until it was time to spin the wheel. After Rhett read the prompt, he caught himself trapped in Link’s sudden gaze. He could feel Link’s bright blue eyes seeping deep into his soul, making him forget what the prompt was. He escaped Link’s gaze to reread the prompt.

“Arm wrestle!” Rhett repeated. He adjusted his chair as Link turned the desk so they could rest their elbows on it properly. They made eye contact as they clasped their hands together. The heat from Link’s palm gave Rhett a small wave of bliss. He cherished the moment, fearing this would be the last time he ever touched him. The audience counted down, and they both went at it. Link was more adamant about being victorious, and Rhett didn’t want to take that victory from him. He also didn’t want to let go of Link’s hand any time soon, so he teased him a couple times before throwing in the towel. Link squealed and cheered at his triumph, throwing his arms into the air as he jumped out of his seat. Rhett enjoyed seeing the smile beaming on Link’s face.

By the time they returned to their hotel suite, the air became a bit thinner. They were able to look at each other, but still had difficulty conversing. It wasn’t so much of the awkwardness as it was that morning, but it was more that neither of them knew what to say to the other. They were both on their own laptops, doing their own personal business. Link was lying on the bed while Rhett sat on the couch, constantly changing his position due to discomfort. After a few minutes, Link finally breaks the silence.

“Hey, Rhett?” Hearing Link say his name felt foreign after being silent towards each other nearly all day. He perked up, turning his head to the man on the bed. “You doing okay?” The concerned look Link sported made Rhett feel warmth flow through his chest. He tried to keep a straight face.

“In what sense?” Rhett asked, unsure how to answer Link’s question.

“Well, hunching like that over your laptop can’t be good for your back.”

“I’m fine,” Rhett answered, stretching his back and shoulders. He winced as he heard a couple clicks in his spine.

“You can come up here with me if you want,” Link suggested, patting the empty mattress space on his right before letting it linger in that spot.

“No… no thanks.” Rhett shook his head and returned his gaze to his laptop. The only sound that echoed through the room was the clicking of Rhett’s keyboard as he returned emails.

“Look, I’m sorry I yelled at you this morning,” Link sighed, breaking the silence once more. Rhett didn’t want to think about that argument anymore. He was tired of stressing over the confrontation that was eating him alive all day. “I shouldn’t have pushed you, Rhett, but I just –”

“I’m hungry. I’m getting a pizza,” Rhett interrupted, shoving his closed laptop onto the couch cushion. He launched himself to his feet and quickly stormed out of the hotel.

Rhett spent the time it took for his pizza to be ready contemplating Link’s nightly behaviors over the past few days. He wondered why Link acted the way he did in the first place… on that first night. They’d slept over each other’s homes before as children, and they’ve shared hotel beds a number of times before and the worst Link ever did was spoon him. Maybe his sleeping habits changed? Or maybe his actions were based on his dreams? It could’ve been those new pills, but if that was the case, why didn’t Link act out last night?  


Rhett returned to the suite with the pizza, and Link was exactly where he left him. Link shot a confused look at the pizza-filled plate Rhett placed on the bed.

“Uh… thanks. For a second, I had expected you to eat that whole pizza by yourself,” Link commented, lifting the paper plate onto his lap.

“Nah. I’m not gonna do that,” Rhett replied with a slight chuckle as he grabbed a slice for himself.

“So, does this mean we’re cool? We’re still friends?” Link asks. Rhett looks up from his plate to Link, who gives a soft half-smile. Rhett couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was sure Link would shun him after that morning, yet here he was: welcoming him back into his life with a smile that made his heart melt.

“Yeah. We’re still friends.” Rhett smiled before taking a bite out of his pizza. Link moved everything off his lap, and then outstretched his arms towards his best friend. Rhett stopped mid-chew once he recognized the invitation. He swallowed the food he had in his mouth before responding. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Link waved both hands in circles, motioning for Rhett to come over. His grin grew wider. “I’m… I don’t think I’m ready for physical contact yet.” Link’s arms moved faster and his smile grew even wider, exposing his teeth. Rhett let out a breathy chuckle at how adamant Link was.

“Come on, Rhett! Just gimme a hug!” Link laughed. Rhett set his plate down on the table before getting up. Link immediately cheered at the victory, and began encouraging Rhett again with his arms while singing a happy little tune. Rhett made his way around the bed, trying hard not to smile, before stopping beside him. Link grabbed at Rhett’s shirt, pulling him down for the hug. Rhett complied, enveloping his long arms around Link’s shoulders. He pulled his friend closer as he nuzzled his face into the back of Link’s neck.

“Thank you,” Rhett whispered into Link’s hair. He scrunched his face as tears filled his eyes.

“You’re my best friend, Rhett. I could never leave you.” Link squeezed Rhett closer, and Rhett squeezed back with a sniffle. They eventually let go of each other, both with irritated eyes. Link tried lightening the mood with a goofy fist bump, which made them both chuckle.

Their chemistry built back up to the point that they were able to laugh, comfortably chat, and reminisce about stupid things they had done when they were younger. They even went ahead and planned the next few weeks worth of ideas for more GMM episodes.

Eventually, they both grew quite tired and were ready for bed. Rhett went to use the restroom before turning in. By the time he came back, Link was already fast asleep. Rhett was impressed at how quickly Link was able to fall asleep. After settling himself on the bed, Rhett looked over at his friend. He spotted the pharmacy bottle next to a Dixie cup on Link’s nightstand. He remembered how much those new pills helped Link fall asleep. He had the feeling that they were what was making Link act out, and feared that he would do it again tonight. Although he liked those moments, he didn’t want to ruin everything, especially since things had once again gone right between them. He quickly shook off those thoughts and turned the light out before cuddling under the covers.

Rhett was just on the verge of falling asleep when he felt something touching his side. He quickly but carefully looked to his left to find Link cuddled up along the side of his body. As adorable as Link was when he was asleep, Rhett also found him intimidating. He scooted closer towards the edge of the bed in attempt to get further away from Link, who whimpered softly at the sudden loss of heat. Rhett closed his eyes again. A couple minutes later, he felt the mattress shifting beside him. He kept his eyes closed in attempt to ignore Link’s stirring. He suddenly felt Link grabbing his right shoulder, turning Rhett slightly towards him. Rhett’s eyes immediately opened, and Link pressed their lips together. Rhett jumped in shock as he struggled to escape Link’s firm grasp. He called Link’s name several times, but it didn’t do anything. Link kept their lips locked, and soon added his tongue into the mix, which drove Rhett wild. No longer able to fight it, he reciprocated the kiss. His arms soon wrapped around Link’s broad shoulders and his fingers combed through his soft hair. After a few seconds of kissing, Rhett shook himself back to reality and pushed Link back to the other side of the bed. He folded his arms and strained his eyes shut as he turned over to his right side, away from Link.

“Why did you stop?” mumbled the man behind him. Rhett snapped his attention back to Link, who looked back at him with his chest heaving.  
“Link?” Rhett asked, brows furrowed. “You’re awake? I… I – I don’t understand…”

“I didn’t take the pills,” Link answered softly. Rhett cocked his head in confusion. “I know they made me do it before. I came to that realization when you were in the shower this morning. I called David and told him what they were doing. He apologized for what they did.”

“What about last night? They didn’t work then!”

“I guess I forgot. I was so tired I probably didn’t need it anyway.” Rhett sat up to better see Link in the dark.

“So wait, then why did you…”

“I had all day to think about this… that maybe I was acting on feelings that I didn’t know I had. So I was curious… that if that were true, and I acted out intentionally, I would feel something.” Rhett leaned closer anticipating the result. Link hesitated, watching his hands fold on his lap before making eye contact with his dear friend. Rhett bit his lip impatiently. “And I did,” Link finally concluded with a lopsided smile. “I don’t know why I never realized it earlier,” he said, leaning on his arm to get closer to Rhett. “Even at the theater, when you held me to your chest… I felt so safe and comfortable, but didn’t want to think anything of it. If I had known you actually had feelings for me, I would’ve made my move.” Link’s face was now hovering closely to Rhett’s, and Rhett already felt lost in the moment, practically in a trance. After what seemed like forever, Rhett finally closed the gap between them. His head started spinning as their lips moved together in sync. There was nothing holding either of them back. All the tension that had been building up was released at that moment. Rhett couldn’t feel any happier. Link pulled back so he could speak. “I love you, Rhett.”

“I love you too…” Rhett whispered. “But you already knew that.” They both chuckled and rubbed their noses together before finishing the kiss. Their lips only separated slightly as they drifted to sleep in each other’s warm embrace.

~END~


End file.
